Doctor Who and the Earth’s Children
by Jacquera
Summary: The Doctor meets Ayla, and other characters from the Earth Children series by Jean M Auel. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ayla, riding Whinney breathed in the warm scent of the early spring day, looking around at the river flowing into a small pool, she realised that she felt hot and sweaty and grimy.

Casting her clothes of, she entered the still cool water, and wading in deeper, submerged her head under the water. Holding her breathe for as long as she could she felt the small bubbles from her entry into the water cascade around her skin, slightly buffing her with their softness. Opening her eyes, she watched these same bubbles, chase each other to the surface of the sun drenched water.

Suddenly, she heard a strange whirling sound, and bursting out of the water, with a gasp, she saw a strange, large object, the colour of a thunderstorm sky appear in front of the pond.

Standing suddenly, she rushed out of the water, and just had time to grab her clothes in front of her modesty, before a man walked out of the blue entity, and smiled at her.

"Hello," he grinned.

Startled, Ayla looked at the bizarre man with an inane smirk on his face. He was obviously a spirit, that thing had just appeared out of thin air.

The spirit put out his hand, she looked at it in confusion, but the man stepped forward and carefully taking her hand so that she didn't drop her clothes, he shook it, and said, "Hello, I'm the doctor."

Ayla looked down at the firm warm hand clasping her own, this was no spirit, she decided, looking up at him, she looked in his eyes and suddenly thought of Creb, "hello" she said, "I'm Ayla."

"I know" he responded, rubbing her hand with a finger, he put his mouth to her ear and whispered" I know your sister."

Ayla looked at him strangely, "mmy ssister" she stuttered, "Uba?" she asked him with excitement.

"No" he replied, "your sister, Kallie," turning around he shouted it the direction of the out of the ordinary object, "Kallie, get out here."

A woman walked out of the thing, and walked over to them, Ayla gasped, she looked just like her.

"Kallie" the doctor said, "may I introduce you to your twin sister, Ayla" both women looked at each other in surprise.

And the doctor grinned.

"You're my sister, Hallie" sobbed the woman.

Ayla looked at her, "Hallie" she said hesitantly," my name is Hallie."

Kallie nodded, "Yeah, Kallie and Hallie, our mother always said we were two peas in a pod" she said studying the others face; "you sure do look like me."

"Her name is Ayla now, Kallie" the Doctor spoke quietly.

Kallie nodded, "Ayla, my sister" she murmured. All of a sudden she realised that Ayla was naked, Doctor, I think we should give her some privacy so she can get dressed" she told him.

The Doctor glanced at Ayla and turn a bright beetroot red, "I'm sorry, I didn't notice." Seizing Kallie's hand he dragged her away but Ayla could hear him moaning, "why didn't you tell me she was naked, you know what I'm like."

Now it was Ayla's turn to grin, and laughingly, she quickly got dressed. She took a moment to check on Whinney, who was busy munching the grass and then walked over to the couple.

Glancing in her direction he noticed the horse, "you know, I once knew a horse," he said mysteriously, "it thought I was its mother," he hastily shook off memories of Madame de pompadour, and looked at Ayla. "Arh, you're dressed."

Chapter 2

The Doctor was in charge, as he always was, "come on, you both needs to go in the TARDIS," and he gently took their hands and led them to the blue box.

Happily letting the Doctor take the lead as ever Kallie followed him easily and walked into the machine. Ayla on the other hand, she was different, she was a woman who lived in a dangerous world, so she tried to drag her hand away.

"You have to come Ayla" the Doctor told her firmly, and pushed her in through the door. She found her self in a cavernous space.

The Doctor walked in after her, "I know what you think" he told her, "it's bigger on the inside than the outside, everyone says it."

"I said it" chirped Kallie.

"It's like the Mother" she said in awe, surely this man must be a spirit. She turned to him, "the Mother lives in us, but she is far bigger than us" she said simply.

The Doctor looked at Ayla with astonishment, nobody had ever understood the concept of the TARDIS before, but this woman, who lived in the Stone Age of all places, had, she was truly amazing, now to have an assistant like that, she would be his equal.

Coming out of his reverie, he regarded the woman, "let's get to work." He looked around, Kallie was already seated, "if you don't mind?" he indicated a chair.

Ayla looked at him in puzzlement, and then seeing where he had pointed, and that her sister was already on an identical one, she sat down and watched the Doctor bustle around.

Soon he came over to them, "this won't hurt at all" he told them both and then attached what looked like little green leaves to their temples. Walking over to the large object in the middle, he seemed to press it in places and then…

Ayla felt herself drawn into her head, and expecting to be in the Mother's spirit world was surprised to find herself somewhere else. Looking next to her, she was sat next to a woman, who had such an excruciating beauty that she could only have been her mother, her long lost mother. And right there was a man, he was dressed in an odd outfit, she thought for a moment, "a suit" she remembered and he was her dad. "Hey, Hallie" she heard a little girl speak, and turning she saw the child who would become the sister she had just met, "do you want a sweet?"

Popping a sweet in her mouth, which brought back a host of other memories, she looked to the other side of her, looking through the window, she thought that was what it was called she gazed down at a view that was forever etched in her brain, the scene that Creb had not been able to see. Gasping she suddenly understood, back at the Clan gathering, in the Mog-ur's cave, it hadn't been a vision when she saw the 'boxlike structures and long ribbons of stone', it had been a memory. With a rush she whispered to herself "and I am in one of the 'huge birds flying without flapping their wings', an airplane

The scene changed, she was in a field, "no" she thought to herself "a garden," someone was singing.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Kallie and Hallie, happy birthday to you."

And there was her mum and dad, smiling down at her and her sister.

"How old are you now" called a boy, and lifting her hand she held up five fingers.

The scene changed again, she was laughing, "this is fun", she was hiding, under a pile of clothes, in a shop.

"Hallie" came a frantic voice "where are you?"

But she only giggled.

"Hallie" the voice was farther away, this was not so fun anymore, she started to pull the clothes off her head when she felt arms grab her, and whisk her backwards, and she blacked out.

Yet again, the scene changed again, she was in a dark shelter, with a woman.

"What happened" she asked, rubbing her saw head.

"Its okay" came a voice, "You have lost your memory, but I will look after you."

"But who are you?" she inquired.

"I'm your mother" said the voice, "now go back to sleep" the child closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

When she woke again, it was light, getting up quickly, and glancing at the bundle of blankets at the other side of the shelter, she said, "I'm going out to play mother".

She received a mumbled groan in return.

The naked child ran out towards a rocky beach, splashing and swimming first in the river, she then started to sort all the pretty pebbles. She had just finished piling some of them on top of each other when the ground began to shake and they rolled away. She started back to her mother, but a crack appeared under the shelter causing it to fall into the deep chasm.

"Mother! Motherrr!" she cried but she was alone.

Ayla came to, with a gasp, she remembered everything.

Chapter 3

"Our parents have never given up searching for you" Kallie informed her, "it's been twenty years of sadness, and fear, but they always believed that you were alive, somewhere out there, and they were right," she hugged her.

"Uh, uh, the Doctor, coughed, "now, Ayla it is time you tell us about how you got from being a lost five year old to being the woman that stands before us."

So Ayla told them everything, about the cave lion, about being picked up by Iza, and being adopted by the Clan, about Broad, and Durc, and living in her valley for so long, and the rest of her life up till then, and she told them about Jondalar, the love of her life and about her little girl, Jonayla. She didn't leave anything out, and by the end of her story, Kallie was in floods of tears, and even the stoic Doctor had a tear in his eyes.

"That's some life you have led" he told her, "and you have another baby on the way too."

"I have?" Ayla was astounded, "how do you know?"

"The TARDIS scanned you when you walked through the door, and it shows me here, look," pointing at a screen.

Ayla looked but as she could not read, did not understand it. But then she realized she was having another child, touching her stomach slightly, she smiled.

"Come and see my room" Kallie said changing the subject; she wasn't really comfortable with the thought that her long lost sister was even more tied to this age. "Do you remember ours?" she asked.

Ayla thought for a moment, "yeah, two beds, with pink blankets on them" she remembered, letting Kallie lead her into another room.

Ayla looked around her twin's room, it was lovely, the floor had pink carpet, and the walls were patterned with pink and blue flowers, the bed at the side was covered in pink cushions, and soft dolls, it was a very girly room, she looked at one doll, and picked it up to examine it closer.

"That's Emily", she said she was your doll looking at her sister as she was obviously flood by memory after memory.

Ayla batted the tears away but her eyes and smiled weakly, "this room is lovely", she told her.

"And that's not the best of it", Kallie beamed as she went over to a machine that looked familiar to Ayla.

"Listen to this her sister" shouted and suddenly the room was flooded with music that was so piercing it was painful after nearly a life time in the moderately quiet Stone Age.

Holding her ears with a grimace she exclaimed "it's a bit loud."

"Oh sorry" Kallie apologised, turning the volume down and then she started dancing in time to the music.

"This is a really good one" and Ayla listened the singer was singing about "being a slave for you".

"It's certainly different from Zelendoni's songs" she exclaimed.

The Doctor walked into the room, he was wearing an outfit very similar to Ayla's, tossing another outfit to Kallie, he said "buckskins, I thought we should dress for the occasion, we're going to visit Ayla's family."

Locking the door of the TARDIS, the Doctor turned to hear Ayla whistle her horse.

"This is Whinney," Ayla introduced the horse, climbing up on her, she reached out her hand to Kallie, "would you like a ride" she said.

Kallie nodded and felt Ayla's firm head pulling her to sit on top of the horse's back. She had never ridden without a saddle before.

Looking apologetically at the Doctor, Ayla said "it is not that far to the ninth cave."

They started on their short journey, the Doctor striding beside the slow strolling horse.

They followed the river down the way it had taken Whinney five minutes to gallop up and soon they arrived at the ninth cave.

Chapter 4

Jondalar was at the entrance of the cave looking out nervously for his mate, standing next to him was Zelendoni, who was trying to calm him down.

"She'll be okay" she was saying to a barely listening Jondalar, "she knows the terrain, and if anything dangerous should come near her, Whinney can bring her back in five minutes."

Jondalar nodded, but kept looking, and then he noticed her, she was on Whinney and the wind was in her hair, he frowned, as she came nearer he could see she had someone riding with her and there was a man jogging alongside. He looked closer, the other woman it was…Ayla.

"Zelendoni, look" he pointed "two Ayla's."

The holy woman looked, "there is only one Ayla" she started, but looking again, she continued, "but the other woman looks just like her."

They stood watching at the strange sight, the Ayla's got off Whinney and accompanied by the mysterious man climbed up the rocky hill until they reached the mouth of the cave.

The man put out his hand to Zelendoni, and grinned, "Hello, I'm the Doctor."

Zelendoni barely noticing what she was doing, she was too overcome by the appearance of a second Ayla, copied his action and grasped his hand. Abruptly, as if coming out of a trance, she stared down at the firm hand shaking hers, and then looking up at him, saw in his eyes that he was one of their own, a Zelendoni.

"I can see such power in your eyes" exclaimed the donier, "and wisdom beyond the age."

The Doctor smiled understandable, he knew his eyes were a window to the love and pain he had always carried through his long life, "I don't get to 903 without something showing in my eyes" he thought. Glancing around he saw a tall, deeply muscled blond man staring at Ayla and his traveling companion. "Ayla" he said, "don't you think you should introduce your sister."

Jondalar gasped and gawked at the two women, "your sister?" he asked with incredulity, shaking his head he said in bewilderment" but you haven't got any family."

Ayla looked at her mate, "yes I have, and she was born at the same time as me, this is Kallie, you could say I am her long lost sister" she laughed.

"My my" grinned the holy woman "this is wonderful, a cause for a celebration."

"mama" screamed a voice, when they entered the cave, "Jondalar was scared that something had happened to you, but I told him you would be okay" Jonayla told her, but she had a tear stained face.

"Oh my Jonayla" Ayla put her arms around her up like a mother hen protecting her chicks, "I will always be with you no matter what" she would talk to her mate later about scaring the child. "Jonayla" she said, "I've got some people I want you to meet" picking her up, she felt the child wrapped her legs around her waist, "this is the Doctor and this is Kallie, my sister."

Jonayla looked at the strangers intently, dismissing the Doctor as someone a bit boring, little did she know, she looked at the woman and gasped "she looks like you Mama."

"That because she is a very special sort of sister, we were born at the same time" she whispered in her daughter's ear.

Jonayla giggled, the boring man was smirking at her stupidly, and waving his hand at her like a mad man"

Zelendoni went to find Johorran, "we have some special visitors" she told him.

The leader looked up at her, "special" he asked, "in what way."

"See for yourself," the holy woman instructed him enigmatically, pushing him towards a commotion.

Johorran saw that Ayla was in the centre of the fuss, he smiled, "in the middle again" he was about to laugh at his brother's mates ability to always be in the heart of a situation, but then someone stepped out from behind her, and he was so shocked that he nearly fainted, but Rushemar managed to catch him before he slammed in the cave floor, shaking his head to clear it, he looked at the women.

Concerned, she looked in Johorran's eyes, and quietly spoke, "may I introduce you to my sister, Kallie,"

Everyone gasped at this statement, but they could see the truth in it, the sister looked just like their friend.

Johorran, remembering himself, put up both of his hand, and greeted "I am Johorran, leader of the ninth cave, mate of Proleva, brother of Jondalar, son of Marthona, blessed of doni, I greet you Kallie of the…."

"I am Kallie of, well I suppose I am Kallie of Finsbury Park, of London, of the UK."

"I have never heard of those places" Jondalar interrupted.

Morona having seen that one of their guest was a handsome brown haired man, had sidled up to him, and had whispered with the most seductive voice she could muster, "While they are busy talking, why don't you come with me, I'm sure you would find it a pleasure."

The Doctor had looked at the woman with disinterest, but Ayla hearing the furtive comment, decided to come to his assistance, "and this is the Doctor," she told Johorran making the leader pull his eyes away from the enigma in front of him, and look at the man.

"I am the Doctor, last of the time lords, of the Celestial city, of the district of Frey, of the planet of Galafrey, friend to the helpless, defender of the Earth, scourge of the Daleks, enemy of the Master, friend of Kallie, I greet you Johorran, leader of the ninth cave, mate of Proleva, brother of Jondalar, son of Marthona, blessed of doni," he reeled off in one breathe.

Johorran was impressed, to have such ties, "who are the Daleks?" he asked.

The Doctor looked at him, "you really do not want to know" he stated.

Chapter 5

That night, at the celebration, sitting around a large fire, after they had all eaten it was story time. Jondalar had talked about his journey with his brother Thonolan. Ayla had spoken about raising Whinney. Willomar talked about some of his trading missions.

"Why don't you tell a story Doctor" Kallie suggested.

The Doctor sighed, looking around he saw many faces full of delight, and said "when I was a child, no more that five of your summers, I was sent to a new dwelling, a place where boys were taught many things, called a school. In this place I met a young boy, new like myself, and we quickly became friends, he was called Zebatan and we had many dreams of all the things we would do together. One time, at the school, another boy was teasing me, saying I was short, but Zebatan stuck up for me, and another time, I was struggling with my work, and he helped me. I thought we would be friends forever, but one day his mother's mate came, and took him away. The next time I saw him, he had changed, and gone a way I could not," he sighed "I still think about how things could have been different, we never had the adventures, we planned, though I certainly had them myself." Looking at the tears in his listeners' eyes, he stopped, thinking for a moment, he said, "I will tell you a story about a young lady that I once knew, she was called Rose Tyler, and I used to travel with her, like I now travel with Kallie. She had blonde hair, and was so cheeky and fun, and I loved being in her company. Once day, we went to a area called New New York, the grass there smelled of apples, and they had a place called a hospital, where people could go to get healed of their sicknesses, we went to the hospital and helped a group of people that were not being looked after, freeing them to become a people of their own right, like the Zelendonii. The last time I saw Rose she was back with her mother, and her family" he hid the sadness at this statement, this was supposed to be a party after all.

"Kallie, why don't you sing us one of your songs" Ayla abruptly instructed.

Kallie shrugged, "Okay, let me think, oh I know" and she started to sing, "I'm just a love machine……"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 6

Half a moon later saw the Doctor and Kallie settled into the order of the cave

Half a moon later saw the Doctor and Kallie settled into the order of the cave. One morning they were standing at the entrance of the cave, having just watched the dawn, and sunlight spill over the earth. The Doctor out of the corner of his eye spotted something moving, pointing in its direction, he instructed them "look."

Zelendoni peered in the direction indicated, and saw humans walking towards them, waving, "we have visitors" she shouted back into the cave.

The Doctor felt them coming, and stepped neatly out of the way, before the tide of humanity erupted from the cave. Kallie wasn't so lucky.

"Oww!" she shouted, looking up at the grinning Doctor,

"What are you doing down there?" he laughed, pulling her up.

By this time, the visitors were surrounded by the members of the ninth cave. One man stood forward, and drew the visitor woman into a hug.

"Oh, Forazel" she was saying, "it is so nice to see you again."

Forazel nodded at his sister, and said "but Forona, what are you doing here, could you not wait to the summer meeting to see your old brother?"

Forona laughed "no Forazel, I couldn't."

In the meantime, Forona's mate had been approached by Johorran, "it is good to see you again Latagon, and how are things in the fifth cave?"

"They are good, Johorran, we have had a visitor, he goes by the name of Retsam, he is very knowledgeable, and has been treating the tent many things."

"We have someone new too", seeing the Doctor and Kallie, Johorran said, "May I introduce you to the Doctor, and Kallie, Ayla's sister" he was amused when he saw the shock in the man's eyes.

Marthona gazed at the happy scene, it was always nice to have friends and family visit, eying the children visiting, she called Folara, can you introduce them around,"she instructed her, "I'm sure they would like to make some new friends

"So why are you here" Forazel asked his sister when they were comfortably sat at his hearth, drinking tea.

"Well, I heard about what a wonderful healer Ayla is and wanted to learn from her" she answered, "and I didn't even have to try to convince Latagon, he wanted to come here to, to see Jondalar's new way of knapping flint."

The next day Forona approached Ayla, and asks her about her healing skills, and Ayla being Ayla shared all she knew willingly.

"So you made a cure for the morning after drinking barma" she asked her incredulity.

Ayla nodded at her new friend, standing up, she took the steeped tea, and poured them both a cup.

They talked for most of the day, about healing, and children, about their mates and the caves that they lived in.

That night Ayla chewed her stew thoughtfully, taking Jonayla off her breast and laying her down to sleep, she turned to Jondalar and said "you know I really enjoyed speaking to Forona today.

"Good" came Jondalar's reply, garbled because he was stuffing huge mouthfuls in his mouth. Swallowing hard, he smiled at Ayla with repentance. "I'm really glad you have made a new friend, but don't you forget your mate" he said with a wolfish grin.

Ayla smirked at his reply. "Have you spoken to her mate, Latagon?" she asked, "it's just that she told me that he wanted to talk to your about knapping."

Jondalar looked up at her; he was again scooping large amounts of food in his mouth, "I'll speak to him" he mumbled, trying to keep the contents of his mouth in, and failing, a dribble of it escaped and ran down his chin."

Getting up, Ayla wiped his chin with an old fur, "you're useless" she giggled as he went back to his plate.

Folara had introduced the new children to some of their own, and they had started playing.

"Let's go swimming" shouted Micana of the ninth cave, grabbing her new friend's hand; she led her to the pool reserved for bathing.

Soon the two girls were splashing each other, Roanna, her new friend laughed, and seeing her brothers approaching them, along with another child from the ninth cave, winked at Micana, and scooped up a large amount of water with her two cupped hands and threw the water as far as she could.

"Roanna," frowned a boy, dripping with water, and then smirk appearing on his face, he charged into the water, followed with his brother and new friend.

Roanna seeing him approach, screamed in fright, "I'm sorry, Saledor" she apologized, as he ducked her under the water.

And so the children played.

The day before they were due to set off for the summer meeting, the Doctor was sat in Zelendoni's hearth, chatting to her about the Zelendonia, when they heard a turmoil coming from the visitors' hearth. Standing up, he saw Ayla, Forona and Latagon carry in the unconscious, visiting children.

"Zelendoni" Ayla cried, "They are so ill but I have never seen anything like it before, I don't know what is wrong."

The Doctor glanced at one child; "he has red skin like he has been out in the sun" he commented.

"I thought of that but it has been raining the last couple of days, and no one has been out of the cave" Ayla pointed out.

He felt the child's head, it was burning with fever, looking more closely, he noticed that the patient's nose was snotty, and it was black. He quickly pulled the tunic up, to uncover the stomach; it had blue spots, which were gushing green gunk. Looking at the child's eyes, he noticed that the usual white cornea was a light green colour, interspersed with dilated red blood vessels. The Doctor looked at Ayla, and sighed, then he examined the other two children, as he was doing this, he muttered, "it looks like…." Shaking his head, he dismissed the idea, "it just isn't possible."

"Can you help them" Ayla asked him, watching him closely, she could see how concerned he was.

"I don't know, I have never seen anything like this before" he answered, and then to himself "not on earth anyway."

Ayla looked at the parents; "I will do what I can for them" she told them with sorrow.

That night, the Doctor was speaking to Kallie, when they heard another disturbance. Thinking that one of the children, he up to go and help, but then realised it wasn't coming from Zelendoni's hearth, it was coming from the sleeping areas of Jomona's, from where her children slept.

This isn't good is it Kallie asked and saw him shake his head.

"It is spreading" he stated simply, getting up quickly, he made a decision, giving the girl some sample slides he can in his bottomless pockets, he instructed her, "I want you to go to everyone that is ill, and take a sample of the puss coming out of their spots, and the mucus out of their noses. I will be waiting for you at the TARDIS."

Kallie nodded at this and went to find Ayla, so she could help her collect the bodily matter.

At the TARDIS, the Doctor was flicking switch after switch. Slamming his hands against the console, he shouted "that is not possible." Turning as he heard the door open he saw Kallie and a very worried Ayla.

"We have the samples" Kallie told him.

He snatched them off her, and hitting a button, started to shout at the slowness of a drawer that opened. In frustration, he pulled in the rest of the way out, and shoved the samples in. Hurriedly pushing it closed, he stood waiting for the results of the analysis. Drumming his fingers, he peered at an empty screen, and then to further abuse the machine gave it a thump, "come on."

Ever so slowly, writing appeared on the screen, and the Doctor could not believe his eyes, "I was right, but how?"

"What is it" called Kallie, now more afraid than she had ever been in her life.

Looking at her, blood drained from his face, he said "it's Venusian Plague, but….." he continued "that is as deadly as the common cold to you earth people, how can they be so ill from VP." Looking at the screen again, he shuddered, "no immunity."

Then he started to hit himself around the head, "it's my fault, I must have given them it" he moaned, then thinking for a moment, he grabbed a screwdriver, and jammed it into his hand, blood pouring out, he ignored the shocked stares of the women, and put a bloody hand print directly on the console. "Analyse that" he bellowed, and then started muttering, "this stupid TARDIS, it's suppose to detect any diseases, it must be malfunctioning."

Looking at Ayla he apologised "I'm sorry, I must have picked it up somewhere, the TARDIS should have picked it up, and disinfected me, but it obviously didn't, those children, and probably others, are going to die and it is my responsibility."

Glancing down at the screen again, prepared to read that his theory was right, he almost missed what it said, "Venusian Plague not detected" confused he mumbled "then where has it come from."

He looked up, the two women were still looking at him with horror, and even a little bit of incrimination on Ayla's part, he sighed, "I'm not contaminated" seeing Ayla look puzzled at this statement, he clarified, "it wasn't me, they have got this from somewhere else."

"So is there a cure for this VA?" Kallie very sensibly asked, breaking through his thoughts.

Now clear headed the Doctor smile, "yes, there is and I will get the TARDIS to synthesise it." Suddenly remembering what he had put his old friend through; he rubbed the centre of the console, and said "I'm sorry old girl."

As they walked back into the cave, they were dismayed to hear so much crying.

Ayla rushed to Zelendoni, "we have the cure" she told her.

The holy woman gave her a weak smile, "that's wonderful, but Ayla, you should know Jonayla is ill."

Turning around she saw Jondalar holding their sick little girl, rushing to them, she felt tears rush down her cheeks.

The Doctor was by her in moments, "it's okay, remember Ayla, we have a cure," and he handed her a small cup, brimming to the top with the medicine.

And so they set off for the summer meeting, a few days late, but all were healthy and they were accompanied, by the hero of the moment, the Doctor.

Chapter 7

When they arrived at the summer meeting they were shocked to see it so subdued. There was no exciting mutterings about the ninth cave, and its animals, and no one even welcomed them. Walking into the area, they did not see a single soul, there were tents all set up but just no people, it was like everyone had just upped and left.

Johorran looked at Zelendoni with worry, "where is everyone?" he asked and watched as she shook her head, she didn't know.

"Johorran should we set up camp?" Rushemar asked.

"No" Zelendoni spoke decidedly, "we need to know what is going on first."

Ayla, straining to hold Whinney, who was spooked by the eerie atmosphere, spotted a child face peering out of a tent, "Johorran, there" she pointed, "there is a child in the tent."

Needing to know what was going on; he marched to the tent, followed by Zelendoni, everyone nervously watched as they went in.

They appeared again after a long time, with strained and worried faces, "it's the illness, it is here" Zelendoni told them.

"What?" yelled the Doctor, coming forward, "it is here, but how?"

Johorran shook his head, "all I know is that half of the fifth cave's children are dead, and those who survived came to the meeting and now many other children are ill. There is a Zelendonia and leaders meeting right now, and those who did not attend are hiding out in their tents."

"We will need more medicine, Doctor" Ayla whispered.

Taking her to one side he told her "I need my TARDIS for that, I will have to call her."

Ayla nodded, and observed as he ran back the way they had come.

When he was totally alone, he made his calling device, using his sonic screwdriver, he set its frequency and attached a silver key to it, putting it on the ground, he sat down and waited. Soon he heard the whirring of his machine, watching as it appeared, he stood up, and walked over to the TARDIS, stepping inside, he picked up the gizmo he had made and put it in his pocket. Going over to the console, he flicked some switches, and synthesised what he needed.

Walking back into camp, he looked around, unsure of which way to go, sensing the direction; he set off, and arrived at the emergency meeting.

"This is a private meeting" said a haughty woman "you can't come in."

The Doctor looked at her; "this says I can" he informed her, holding up a bottle, seeing her confused face, he whispered to her "it's the cure, to the illness."

Seeing her mouth drop open into a silent O, he pushed past her, and said to the large group within," hot stuff coming through", contemplating this statement for a moment, he added "I've always wanted to say that."

Soon all the children who had been ill were better, and though there was great sadness at the deaths of the fifth cave's children, life went on.

Chapter 8

And one thing that went on was the Zelendonia meetings. After he had rudely barged into the meeting, it was decided that, even though he had restored the health of the children, that they didn't want him to come to anymore. But the Doctor didn't mind, he was having too much fun, wandering around the trading tables, drinking in the barma tent, listening to the stories, watching the shows, listening to the songs and joining in anyway he could.

So when Madroman, the new Zelendoni of the distressed fifth cave introduced a new man to the meeting, the Doctor didn't know anything about it, and when this same man, called Retsam told them he wanted to set up a trade agreement between the Zelendonii and two other groups, the Doctor didn't hear.

"Retsam" came the voice of the Zelendoni of the eleventh cave at one such meeting, can you tell us more about the two peoples you are representing, and what they can offer us."

Retsam, an average height man, with light brown hair and a mischievous face, smiled, "the Keladoi, and the Norgodoni have lots to give, they are very prosperous, and have many gifts and much knowledge, they could bestow all that on you."

"What do they want in return?" asked a suspicious voice.

"They offer their friendship, and…" he continued "well, even though they have so much going for them, the Keladoi especially are very few, and would like the Zelendonii to make them stronger."

The eleventh cave's Zelendoni looked extremely pleased at this, "to have so much offered for so little" she thought with avarice.

And the Doctor was not informed.

"What do you want to do today, Kallie?" the Doctor asked one morning.

She looked at him, "Ayla told me last night that the caves are all going to have horse raising today" she told him, "I thought I would go and watch, how about you, are you coming?"

"Yeah, I would love to" he answered, "but no gambling," he smiled playfully.

"I don't think it's been invented yet" she told him with a superior attitude.

"You'd be surprised" he responded.

"Ayla, come on Ayla, and Whinney" Kallie yelled at the top of her voice, "she's almost there, she's nearly won" she turned around and hugged the Doctor. Watching the riders and horses closely, she let out an ear splitting scream, they've done it, there are the winners and jumping up and down she started singing "Ayla is the champions, my friends…" shrugging as head after head turned towards her, she didn't feel embarrassed, she just kept on singing, "and she keep on fighting to the end…."

Trying hard to not laugh, there was no need to encourage her, he turned away, and for a moment, he thought he saw….looking harder, he snorted at himself, he was getting sillier than Kallie, "what next," he whispered to himself, "I really need a check up, or I'll be seeing Mr Blobby next."

Turning back to Ayla, he saw that she had put a necklace of flowers around her horse's neck, and was wearing an identical crown on her head, waving at her; he started to make his way forward so he could congratulate her.

"I must warn you," Retsam started at the next Zelendonia meeting, "the Norgodoni look weird, but you have accepted the clan, they are just another race of humans" turning to the entrance of the tent, he watched as a Norgodoni walked in and waited for the uproar.

He wasn't disappointed, many of the Zelendonii were bigoted, but they had accepted the clan as human, but to be presented with an additional ethnic group of people was nearly too much for many. Hearing many screams, he sighed.

All the Zelendonia were on the edge of their seats, not knowing whether they should run or fight.

"They're monsters" a voice moaned.

And they did look monstrous, they had brow bridges like the clan, but sloped foreheads like the others, but they were not a cross between the two They were dressed in some sort of hide, black and shiny, and their skin was a dark coal like colour, they were most unattractive, and looked faintly malevolent.

Marching straight up to the Zelendonia, he said "Keladoi want you help, you help?"

Whispers and muttering started to get louder and louder.

Taking control of the meeting the Zelendoni of the eleventh cave spoke, "We will consider everything Retsam, if you and you're, errr, friend could leave the meeting, we will deliberate.

The Doctor started blinking, rubbing his eyes, "I think I need my vision checked" he sneered at himself, "I keep seeing things that are not there, next I will be seeing a Cyberman," shaking his head, he walked away from the Zelendonia's tent.

In the meantime, the meeting in that tent was reaching a fever point.

"They look too weird."

"They look like they are up to no good."

"I don't like them."

"We accepted flatheads, were not tolerating these ugly people too."

The griping went on and on, and despite the wonderful offer they had received, the Zelendonia decided that they would have no part of it, because when it came down to it, they just did not trust the shifty looking Norgodoni.

But the response they got from Retsam, and the Norgodoni was not what they expected. They had anticipated that they might be upset, even angry but nothing prepared them for the reaction of their refusal.

"What?!" Retsam shouted, in fact he screamed at the top of his voice, his face had turned a violent shade of red, and his eyes looked like they were popping out of his head. "You dare to defy us?" staring at the horrified crowd, he sniggered, "Well, our trade agreement will go ahead, whether you consent or not." Taking out a small rock like shape, he started talking to it, "emperor, we have been denied, so we go to plan B."

Immediately, the tent was invaded with Norgodoni's, and each one of them was holding a pointed shaped stick, with a handle under it. But that was not the worse of it, because overhead was the rumble of thunder, and the sounds of screams of fright from their people.

"What's happening, Retsam?" asked the Madroman, the used Zelendoni.

Turning to look at him, Retsam said, "They are here, the Keladoi are here."

At the story telling tent, the Doctor had also heard the thunder, rushing out, he looked up into the sky, "space ships" he muttered, turning to Kallie, he yelled, "we've got to get to the Zelendonia meeting."

When they arrived, they saw Ayla outside the tent, looking confused and more than a little bit scared. "I think Retsam and the Norgodoni are behind this" she shouted over the roar of the ships landing.

"Who?" the Doctor screeched back.

"Retsam, he's new to the Zelendoni, been staying with the fifth cave over winter, and has been trying to set up a trade agreement between us, and two other people."

The Doctor pulled both women out of the way, as the curtain to the entrance of the tent was pulled back, hiding behind a bit of hide, they watched, as a man walked out.

"You" the Doctor ran to the man, challenging him, "I should have known, Retsam, how could I have been so think, Retsam spelt backwards in the Master. Staring at his enemy, and his one time best friend, Zebatan.

"Ahh, Doctor" the master smirked, "it is so nice to see you?"

"What are you doing here?" demanded the Doctor.

Turning towards the ship, and seeing the ramp was down, he said "I'm just helping old friends, the Keladoi.

The Doctor looked at the ship too, and seeing the Keladoi, ascending the ramp he muttered one word, "Daleks."

And then he shouted to all the Zelendonii standing in front of the Daleks' ship, and all those through out the meeting, "run, run for your lives."

But he didn't need to tell them, because in shock, they were already running, unfortunately, it was with no purpose, they were running in circles.

And the Daleks, after elevating themselves above the grass, started shooting people with their laser guns, "exterminate, exterminate."

Chapter 9

"And you know my other friends" he heard the master; turning around he saw an Ogron, holding Ayla tight.

"Leave her alone" he roared at the alien.

"He can't do that, my dear Doctor, he's not in charge, I am, and the Daleks of course and it is my will that she dies."

"No" Kallie shouted out, revealing herself to the master.

"Yes, my dear, and you should be glad, I didn't choose you instead of Ayla."

Kallie looked at the master in confusion.

"You mean, the Doctor, the great, wonderful, intelligent Doctor has not worked everything out, he doesn't know it was me?" Sneering at her, he said "let me tell you a little story."

"I've seen the future, you know I have and what I found was a race, a once magnificent race, reduced to nothing. I could hear their spirits shouting out to me for revenge, for a second chance, to finally raise themselves as the supreme masters of the universe. Right then I decided I would help them, so I travelled back to before their destruction, and I found two little girls, the saviours of the worlds they would be called in later generations, but then they were just called Kallie and Hallie. These children, had somehow stopped an invasions, and had killed this ancient race. And so I stalked them, waiting for an opportunity, any fortuitous event when one of these girls would be delivered into my hands. And then it happened, the girl Hallie had gone shopping with her mother, leaving her twin at home with the father, so I followed them, and watch and waited. She was a naughty child because she ran away from her protector, and I took the opportunity and snatched her from her hiding place under a rack of clothes. I brought her back to the ice age, knowing that she couldn't destroy the race if she was here, but just to be sure, I decided to kill her. That night I left her with a woman to look after her, and the next morning I came back to accomplish my wonderful destiny, and I found they were gone, just a scar in the earth to show which way. So for many years I thought they were safe, but then I came to the Zelendoni, at the fifth cave, and Madroman was more than willing to tell me about a man called Jondalar, a man he hated and despised, and about the woman who he had brought back from the east, a woman that had survived an earthquake as a young child, and had been raise by flatheads. I realised that this woman was the missing Hallie, and so I contacted the ancient race, who, along with their servants, came and helped me plan what we would do."

Looking at Ayla, he said "and so my dear, you see you have to die, for nothing can stop the plans of the Daleks" and he laughed maniacally.


	3. Chapter 3

With lightning speed the Doctor sprinted over to Ayla, "ai yai" he shouted and karate chopped the Ogron, grabbing her and Kallie, he ran in the direction of the TARDIS.

Reaching the machine, he pushed the women in and was just about to go in himself, when he saw the woman who had propositioned him running for her life, being chased by a Dalek.

"You are an enemy of the Daleks", it droned, "Exterminate" and Marona was enveloped by the laser, killing her outright.

Shaking his head, the Doctor moved into the TARDIS.

"Where did you learn that move?" Kallie confronted him, before he was hardly through the door, "that ai yai" and she motioned the karate chop he had used.

"Oh, that's just Venusian Aikido, one of my past lives was a master in it, and I suppose some of it has remained with me throughout the changes" he enlightened her.

Deciding she would ignore this eccentric answer, she demanded to know if he had a plan to rid this world of the Daleks.

"No" he said, "but we have to find something, we can't just leave the Zelendonii in the control of those metal monsters."

He hurried over to the console, stroking it, he said, "how about giving us a bit of help, old girl" he crooned, and started flicking switches.

"Come on girl" he whispered, "we need your help" and print started to appear on the console screen, the Doctor read it intentely, "there is a root that can stop the Daleks, it can immobilise them," flicking another switch, an image appeared, pointing at it the Doctor asked "have you ever seen that root?"

"Yes" Ayla gasped, "pulling out of her otter skin bag, the clan's sacred root.

The Doctor grabbed it, shocked he said, "Ayla this is it, have you got any more?"

"Iza gave me this" she told them, "It is sacred to the clan, the only place I have ever seen it is around the cave that I grew up in."

The Doctor looked excited, "well, let's go there then" and ran back to the console. Soon the centre of it was raising up and down, lights were flashing and then he said, "we're here."

Ayla was amazed, "so quick?" she asked, "It took no time at all."

Striding to the door, he glanced back at the two women, "are you coming then?"

Grinning, they hurried after him.

Ayla immediately smelled the salt in the air, and she knew she was home; smiling her memories whisked her back to the time of her childhood, to Creb, Iza and Uba, and then forward to her son.

Fear for her mate, and daughter broke her out of her daydream and back to reality, "I must find the root" she told herself and started searching, under every leaf, and bit of grass.

Soon, she had found about a dozen of the plants, and was just starting to head back when she heard the sound of boots squiging on wet mud. Looking up, she saw him, her enemy, her antagonist, the man that had tried to make her childhood a misery, it was Broud.

He was staring at her, recognition in his eyes, his face bloated with anger, and he was coming her way.

"Spirit" he signed with fury, "you are death cursed, I will not let you come back."

As he drew level with her, she saw he had his fist up, ready to strike her, but she showed no fear, just staring at him in the eye.

If it was possible, Broud was even more enraged, pulling his fist back, he started to throw it forward towards her.

Before he had managed to beat the arrogant spirit, his arm was grabbed around the wrist, and held back.

Pulling the Neanderthal's arm behind his back, the Doctor muttered in his ear, "Don't ever try to hurt Ayla again." With disgust he then pushed him away, right into a muddy puddle.

Ayla looking at the leader in such a predicament, had trouble holding back the laughter that was filling her, turning away so he could not see her mirth, she saw others of the clan approaching.

The clan members felt a jolt of disbelief on seeing Ayla, and even more so on seeing the state of their floundering leader. Uba seeing her sister, started to rush forward feeling alive with joy, but then she remembered and with anxiety she glance around at the mog ur, Goov.

Seeing Uba look at him, he shook his head, and signed "after the death curse, after Ayla had left us, I went back into the old cave, I was in the sacred place, there was a after tremor, and when it stopped I saw that the bones of the death curse had been disturbed, Urses, the great cave bear himself had broken the curse. I never told Broud, he is too much like his woolly rhinoceros totem, he would have hunted Ayla down and killed her himself."

Ayla seeing this speech, first of all could not understand it, then she felt disbelief, and finally exhilaration, the curse was gone, she was free.

Kallie, who had been watching, felt tears prickle in her eyes when she saw Ayla rush towards another woman and enveloped her in her arms.

"Goov," a voice grunted.

The mog ur looked at their fallen leader, as he signed "I will not allowed this"

The Doctor understanding everything turned to look at the sludge coated man, and bellowed at him, "You will be quiet" which Broud understood because of the TARDIS's universal translator.

For the first time Goov saw the Doctor, and immediately fall on his face, in the mud, "oh spirit of guidance, I have seen you many times when I am meditating, but why have you come to see this lowly man," he signed.

The Doctor pulled him up, and started signing to Goov, "Goov, I have guided you for many years, and I guided the mog ur before you, Creb."

Ayla gasped "you knew Creb?"

The Doctor smiles an ancient smile, "I know everyone" he added mysteriously.

"Goov" he continued, "your leader is no leader to you, as your spirit guide I command you to appoint another."

An angry Broud, understanding that his leadership was being taken away from him, stood up and appearing just like his totem, charged at the spirit.

The Doctor grabbed him, and looked deeply into his eyes, cowering Broud dropped to the floor, shaking with insight of his many years of fear and hatred.

Durc, carrying his pack, had taken up the rear of the hunt, and he had seemed to have lost the rest of the group, he was walking through the forest, when he came to a clearing, filled with people, he saw the one person he thought he would never see again. Hardly able to believe his eyes, he screamed "Mama" and she, seeing him, ran over to him faster than she ever had before, and cried, "Durc, my son" and mother and son sank to the floor is a mass of tears and joy.

Giving them time, the Doctor eventually approached them, holding out his hands, he pulled them to their feet, and signed "Durc, this is not your place anymore; you are meant to be with Ayla."

If Ayla could have felt any more joy she would have, but her heart was already swelled, nearly beyond endurance

The doctor carried on, "we have to hurry, we have to save the Zelendonii, and your mate, and daughter, have you got the roots?"

Ayla nodded, and tried to tell Durc about everything that had happened; though she knew seeing would be believing.

Returning to the TARDIS, Ayla hugged her old friends and family, as did Durc, and then they entered the TARDIS.

"It's bigger on the inside, than the outside" he signed.

The Doctor laughed, "I told you" he said, "everyone always says that, except you Ayla."

The Doctor prepared the roots and made a fine mist, he put it in light weight containers, with a spray lid attached.

The team, Ayla, Kallie, Durc and the Doctor assembled at the door of the TARDIS, loading themselves up with their new weapons, they march out to be confronted with a scene from hell.

Bodies littered the grass, and in front of the Zelendonia's tent was huddled the survivors of the Zelendonii, surrounded with Ogrons, Daleks and the master. And a mechanical voice was saying, "You are enemies of the Daleks, but you will be changed to become like us, a new race of supreme beings."

"So that's their plan" muttered the Doctor as they crept up on them.

"Now" shouted the Doctor, and they sprayed the root mist over the area, Daleks, and people were literally covered in it.

"What have you done?" yelled the master.

The Daleks in the meantime could not move, they could not operate their equipment; their metal shells were literally dead to the world, "Ogrons, we are defeated, get us back to our ships" came the weak scratchy voice of a Dalek.

The Ogrons surrounded the Daleks, and pushed their masters into their ship, which took off and soon became a small dot on the horizon, which vanished.

"You have destroyed our plans" shriek his old friend, as he ran into a tree, his own TARDIS. That too faded away, with a whirl of engines.

Ayla stood in front of her people for the last six years; they seemed to be in a trance. Waving her hands in front of her mate and daughter, they started to come around, but were confused; looking at the rest of the perplexed Zelendonii, she realised that the mist had wiped their memories of the last day.

The Doctor knew he had other adventures awaiting him and others to save, told Ayla it was time that he moved on.

Kallie was upset at this, she had not appreciated that her time with Ayla was so short, but she knew that her sister belonged to this time, and Kallie, was very much a future girl.

At the TARDIS, Kallie hugged Ayla for the last time, and walked into the TARDIS.

The Doctor not wanting to be outdone, also embraced her, and was just about to enter his machine, when he heard Johorran call out to him, "Doctor, what about the dead, what killed them?"

"It was the disease, a lesser form of it anyway," he fibbed "I will give you a cure" he disappeared for a moment, and came back carrying a box filled with little jelly like babies. "Take a couple each, and you will be okay," he thought for a moment, "in fact, to be on the safe side, give the children a few more" waving at the Zelendonii, he entered the blue box, and shut the door.

The people watched as the entity, vanished with a roar and blue flashing lights.

In the TARDIS, Kallie asked, "what did you give them?"

"Jelly babies" he answered.

THE END.


End file.
